New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-17
SAW THE TORNADO START.
ORIGIN OF THE GREAT OHIO sroRM.

TWO LITTLE CURRENTS OF AIR CROSS AT H0Hr.
ANGLES AND THE WORK OF OBSTRUCTION
BEGAN.
WHEELING, W. Va, April 16.-Ihe origin o1
thc whIrlw,nd which devastated large secttod
OF Belmont County. Ol,io. yesterday AFT. encou
has been definitely hxed farmer nving Hso
norch OF Loydsvillea q village eighteen miles wese
of this city, saw the column Of dust and leaves
rise where two deprcssions in the rolling eroun0
allowed two currents Of wind to cross at nyht
angles little eddy started sucking up leaves
and dirt and momentarily increasing in size until
1t formed q column from the earth apparently "a
the sIy, which advanced with fearful velocity
through an erratlc course, In general eastcrlN
direction, the larger and upper end keeping
course more nearly straight and the lower end
referred to by eyewitness as "the tai.' lashno
about. striking house here and demolishing u
and then not touching the earth for perhaps
hundreds of yards
When tho whirlw1nd struck st. Clairsville n
was split into two ascending and whirling col
umns. united in Q great mass Of black clouds III
che heavens. Ihe destruction at st. CiaUsvilo
is, II anything, underestimated by last nights
dispatches No adequate idea can be conveyed
in words OF the scene Of ruin and desolati0n
where tho tornado struck. The streets are strewn
with wIeckage, and In some places the roads
were for time impossible. with broken trees,
Frustrated telegraph po.cs and wires and fences.
Ihere was a ru sh of sghtseers to ST. Clarsville.
Telegraph communication being cut of. therd
was great anxiety to learn definitely how bad
the situation Of affairs was. No casualties were
reported last night.
To-day the following arc reported: c. w. Trol,
manager of the Bellaire and St. Clairsvllle road,
has fractured arm a result Of the storm; J.
W. Riley, right leg broken and internal injuries;
A. Littleson, the Northern Railway expressman
lcolored), was fatally injured.
Mayor Davies of st. ClairsvilIe. to-day sent ont
the following appeal addressed to Mayors of Wheel
ing. Cincinnati Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo.
DAYTON, Springfield, GAINESVILLE and Pittsburg and
others generally;
number worthy people suffered loss o. who
arc unable 70 make repairs The people OF the village Eno
own to meet Aid needed any contributions
Will ss , PLACED ed n ae b. hands Of
help themselves
At Martins Ferry, the scene in and around tho
devas'ated districts was lively one this morning
hundreds of amateur and professional builders
being busly engaged in replacing roofs, strength
ening under -plnnIng and lifting houses back on
their old foun nations. The unfortunate residents
are apparently taking the matter philosophcaily
and are making immediate arrangements for re-
building on their old sites such Of ns houses as
damage was discovered to-day. which
though the separate items arc small
increases the aggregate materially. 1he distress
here Is even greater than at st. Clairsville, tho
losers being in the most cases poor working people.
meeting was held this afternoon and committee
appointed with Mayor Kellar at its head to ad-
minister TO the wants of the sufferers Means sent
families have shelter, except what is afforded by
o skating rink placed at their disposal